Vehicle wheel



May 12, 1925.

S. A. HOGE VEHICLE WHEEL Filed July 8. l1921 PATNT FFC.

SMITH A. HOGE, OF RICES LANDING, l?ENNSTZJlANIlI.l

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Application filed July 8, 1921.

To all whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, SMITH A. Hoen,a

citizen of the United States, residing at Rices Landing, in the countyof Greene and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Vehicle Wheels, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists of an improvement in vehicle wheels, and has forits object to provide, in a wheel of such type, resilient means forabsorbing lthe shocks and jars of impact and the various strainsincident to vehicle wheels, especially those used Vwith motor vehicles.In my invention I utilize a main annular spiral spring incorporatedbetween the central hub and its spokes and the outer shoe or tread in amanner providing for operative connection between the hub and shoe as totraction imparting, braking, or other strains, and whereby the annularspring member will ope ate to absorb the various shocks incident to roadtravel.

In the drawings, which show one preferred embodimentof the invention:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary drawing in side elevation and section, partlybroken away, showing the construction; Y

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line IIMII of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing a connection between thespring spiral and the felloe; and r Fig. 4 is a sectional detail viewshowing additional reinforcing connections between the felloe and rim.

In the drawing, 2 is the hub member of any suitable construction, asdisks, provided with annular flanges 3 for connection with spokes 4 andadapted for mountingV on a central journal member of suitable form. Y

The tire member, as shoe 5, may be of any convenient design, and thespokes 4 are connected to an inner annular fell-oe 6 as shown.

In the construction herein disclosed, the s ring 7 is continuouslyannular' around the wheel, composed of spiral coils suitably spaced andof the desired gauge and temper to provide the proper resilience andstrength, dependent on the load or other conditions of use. Spring 7 isinterposed between the felloe 6 and an outer tire rim 4S, preferablyconnected directly to the felloe, although any other suitable meansASerial No. 483,150.

may be employed, if preferred.

For theV purpose of bracing the spring against collapsing lengthwise ofits annular direction, and of reinforcing it against the various strainsof load pressure, traction, etc., I connect the spirals at intervals bytie members 11 secured to and extendingV transversely across between theouter and inner portions of some or all of the coils, as shown inFig. 1. The tiemembers may be of wire, twisted around the coils by theirterminals 12, and are continued' throughout,

in opposite diagonal directions, crossing' each other within the coilsand tending to F maintain the coils of the spring erect throughout itsentire circumference.

While ordinarily, the bracing reinforcements above described aresuiiicient to connect the felloe 6 with the rim 8 for transmission ofthe strains involved in usualV service, I have shown additional tie rods4or wires 1l extending diagonally with relation to the curvature of thewheel and across in opposing directions through the spring member 7 andits associated iilling and surrounding body portions 13 and 14. TheserodsV are secured to the felloe and rim in any suitable manner, as bypassing their terminals through suitable h-olesand clinching them over,as at 12a, whereby to continuously tie the parts together.

As a further reinforcement, the space within the spring and between itscoils is filled with a body 13 of soft rubber or similar compositionandthe entire spring and its associated members is surrounded and enclosedwithin an outer tubing 14, also of rubber or the like, `preferablyreinforced with fabric. The latter is preferably vulcanized to harden itand also fuse it with the outer portion of the filling body 13, thevulcanizing process extending inwardly to a greater or less extent,whereby to provide a comparatively hard enveloping and closely intimateattachment with the coils 7. By this construction, the spiral spring isnot only completely invested within the rubber body whereby tocontinuously maintain their relationship,fbut the resiliency of each ismodified and supplemented-by the other. The result in action is toprovide a cushioned wheel of ample strength and resiliency capable ofabsorbing and modifying the usual shocks, and obviating the necessity oftheusual pneumatic tire.

A further advantage in surrounding and separation or rupture, withliixedconnection to the sprin and brace Wires.

The Wliee maybe proportioned as'to its several partsto suit theconditions of u'seas to' strength, size,'and spacing ot lthe springs.'their ltie: members, qualit)7 of the rubber, etc., and the device may bevariously"changed'oi niodiiedin different details oit constructionbythe'skilled'mechanic7 but all such changesA are 'to beconsideredaswitliin tliescope ot the following claims.

l. A resilientmember tor'fa vehicle Wheel consisting-of an^annularspiral spring having interior braces "connecting the spirals.

'2. A resilient' member fora vehicle Wheel consisting 'otairiannular'spifiahspring having outer portions-ot`r soinewot" the Y'spiralsconnected'fwitli inner portions f of other spiials` by'attached'bracingf Emembers.

3. A resilieiitimember1to1' a vehicle Wheel consisting of'an 4annu-larspiral' spring having'outei" portionsof some2 of the spirals connected'with inner portions 'ot other sprralsbyattached bracing' membersarranged in' ipposit-edirections.

4. 'A i'esili'entmeinbertor a vehicle Wheel consisting" ofan"annu1larspiral spring have ii'igI 4interior crossbrac'es 'connecting''coils ot' the spring at opposite sides otits periphery.

.f1/A resilientineinberfora vehicle Wheel consisting'ot4 anzannularspiral springY having a filling andiinvesting-bodyotresilientmaterial'completelyenclosing `the spring and hardened at its-'outerfportion. -f

6. A resilient member' toria vehicle 'Wheel consisting et ranH annu-lar-spiral f spring emi bedded in anfinner' bodygoffrubbeiand anI outerenclosing lamina integral theretvitli 7. A resilient-member 'foravehicleWheel consisting Otan annu-lar' spiral spring havinganfinner body'oti'ubberancban outer enclosing lamina vulcanized thereon.

8. A resi-lient member for -aveliiclewli'eel consisting ofanannular-spiral spring liav inga filling ot resilient material andinterior braces connecting' Kthe spirals'.

9.Inl-cornbination, arry yannularY spiral spring, tie members connectingouter portions ot' some of the spiral coils thereof with inner portionsot other spiral coils, and a `continuous filling oti'esilient material.

l0. In combination, an annular spiral spring, tie members connectingouter portioiisfof'someof thefspiral coils thereof with inner portionsot other spiral coils, a continuous lling otresillient*materiale` and anouter-enclosing lamina. *i

ll. The combination With a central huna felloe'and''an `outerfshoeandriin,`ot anr interveningannularspiralV spring connected with the t'elloeand rim respectively and having anf'interior *cushioning substance'.

l2. The combination with a centi-al hub, a

tell'oecancl'an outer shoe and rim7 oi anintervening annular lspiralspring connected with the fell'oe'l and` rim respectively and having' lan interior cushioning substance,` and transverse {bracing :elementsconnecting lthe spirals at intervals.

13".`r rllie combinationivith a central hub,` a

feline, and an outer fshoe, otan -interif'ening annular spiral springprovided with a iiller and' coverv of resilient material; spokes con-lnesting'y the Vtelloe' andl hub', and anout'ermost shoe surrounding the;spiral spring member.

1%. The 'combination '-ivith a central' hub' andan oiiter'shoe, ofanintervening annular spiral spring'- pro-videdi with-*a iller'and coverot yresilient n'iateriah` atelloe connected with thespi-ralfspringmember. spokescon-l nesting thefelloefandwliub;an fouteirini member` connected `witli'the` spiral spring member, and anoutermost Islioeniountcd on the rin'imfv l5. In a vehicle wheel, thecombination i tend-ing diagonally Ywith relation yto vthe eur-A vatureof ,the-Wheel7 eonn'ecting thetelloeand rim-and passing :through thespring m'eiiiber iii-opposingdirections` y In testimonywliereothereniitoiallixsignature.

in v

SMITH ik. H06? E.

